As any good organizer knows, pulling off one event is no easy feat. Pulling off four of them, across three different countries, with roughly 70 creatives attached, is a different type of chaos altogether. But this is exactly what Mei Bastes-Mijares hopes to achieve with her upcoming art initiative, Manila Calling.
Through a series of pop-ups, performances, and happenings (e.g. flash tattoo sessions, a silk textile exhibition, etc.) Manila Calling aims to connect artists from a variety of mediums and showcase their work via a traveling bazaar. Kicking off with a send-off party in Comuna, Makati on May 2, the traveling exhibition will first make its way to Barcelona from May 15 to 16 before heading to Madrid. It will then set up camp in Intramuros, Manila for a grand exhibition from June 6 to 27. It’s also expected to appear in Tokyo, although final details have yet to be released.
Bastes-Mijares’ main reason for creating Manila Calling isn’t just to travel the world with a roaming exhibition. “The concept… is really about bringing together creatives I’ve met, discovered, or connected with over the past decade,” she told Rolling Stone Philippines. “The idea was to give everyone exposure and a shared platform, and this project became the most organic way to make that happen.”
Although Manila Calling features a number of established Filipino creatives — including artist Garapata, designer and vocalist Mich Dulce, fashion brand Mabuhay Maynila, CCP 13 Artists awardee Zeus Bascon, and more — Bastes-Mijares was also intentional about inviting younger artists into the fold. Working with artists like Santo Slogo, Tilda, Rob Cham, and Elle Shivers, among others, has created an overall feel to the exhibition that’s “refined but still very contemporary,” according to Bastes-Mijares.
“They brought in a fresh perspective and helped shape a more current and relevant lineup,” she said. “That combination of generations and influences helped define the project. It made the lineup more dynamic, and it also allowed us to create something that feels fresh, something that Manila hasn’t really seen in a while.”
“I wanted diversity not just in artistic styles, but also in representation,” Bastes-Mijares added. “It was important for me to have a mix of voices across genders, and I’m really proud that LGBTQ+ creatives, as well as both male and female artists, are well represented in the Filipino lineup.”
Something New
This isn’t the first time that Bastes-Mijares has focused on planning events that highlight Filipino talent. In the early to mid aughts, she made a name for herself around Manila by organizing Meiday, a series of free concerts that brought together well-known bands (e.g. Sandwich, Up Dharma Down) and acts who were then on the rise (e.g. Arigato Hato, Ang Bandang Shirley).
“[Manila Calling] reminded me of the events I used to organize in the Philippines around 10 to 15 years ago,” she said. “They naturally brought together people from different creative fields… so in many ways, Manila Calling is a continuation and evolution of that same spirit.”
But Bastes-Mijares emphasized that Manila Calling is set to be a completely different — and arguably more ambitious — endeavor compared to Meiday. “I don’t want to replicate what I had already done with Meiday,” she said. “I wanted to challenge myself and explore something new.”
And challenge herself she has, because organizing Manila Calling has come with its own set of speed bumps. “Logistically, one of the biggest challenges has been securing the right venues, especially since this is a tour without corporate sponsors,” said Bastes-Mijares. “That makes it significantly more difficult to lock in strong, well-suited spaces for each show. That said, we’ve been fortunate to receive support in different ways depending on the city.” Bastes-Mijares then noted that she’d worked closely with Intramuros’ local government office and the Spanish Embassy in the Philippines to make the Manila leg of the exhibition a reality.
However, the organizer argues that it’s all been worth it, especially since it unites artists from different nationalities, mediums, and generations in one space. “I wanted to create a way to bring the work of my friends from the Philippines to an international audience,” said Bastes-Mijares, “and at the same time connect them with creatives I met abroad. The idea was to give everyone exposure and a shared platform, and this project became the most organic way to make that happen.”
